Method for knitting panty panels for body molding garments



GARMENTS 'June 18, 1963 G. E. RUTLEDGE METHOD FOR KNITTING PANTY PANELS FOR BODY MOLDING Original Filed July 24, 1958 INVENTOR.

United States Patent Office 3,093,988 Patented June 18, 1963- 3,093,988 METHOD FOR KNITTING PANTY PANELS FOR BODY MLDING GARMENTS George E. Rutledge, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Munsing- Wear, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Original application July 24, 1958, Ser. No. 750,609, now Patent No. 3,026,697, dated Mar. 27, 1962. Divided and this application Oct. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 144,993

6 Claims. (Cl. 66-177) This invention relates, generally, to elastic undergarments and it has particular relation to body molding garments for women. This application is a division of application Serial No. 750,609, led July 24, 1958, now Patent No. 3,026,697, issued March Z7, 1962 which is a 'continuation-impart of application Serial No. 689,105, tiled October 9, `1957, now abandoned, and of `application Serial No. 706,831, filed January 2, 1958, now abandoned.

Among the objects of this invention are: To provide for knitting one or more panels for for-ming an elastic underg-arment, such :as a` body molding undengarment, in a new and improved manner; to provide a turned hem or tubular welt along the lower edge of the garment arranged in such manner that it does not interfere in any way with the stride of the wearer and eliminates the necessity of sewing a band on the lower end of Ithe garment or superimposing a band thereon; to provide for using various types of yarn, such as natural yarn, synthetic yarns and textured yarns alone or in combina'- tion to provide desired characteristics; to employ among the yarns an elasticized or rubber yarn, either covered or uncovered,` and to employ the elongation thereof for contributing to the control exercised by the garment in those locations where tensions of the yarn can be used for equalizing the control; to provide for knitting a panty panel from` the bottom to the top; to form tubular welts along the upper and lower edges of the panel; to knit the courses along the upper and lower edges of the panel in final form in such manner `that the :adjacent portions can be doubled over without bunching along the edges; and to knit the panel in one continuous operation from the formation of the tubular welts at the lower ends of the leg portions, through the balance of the leg portions, the lower body portion and narrowing of the intermediate body portionto the upper body portion.

Other objects of this invention will, in part, be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.

This invention is disclosed in the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing and it comprises the features of construction .and method of formation which will-be exemplified in the construction and method hereinafter set forth and the scope of the `application of which will be indicated in the 4appended claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nat-ure and scope of this invention reference can be had to the following detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. l is a view, showing by broken lines, the outline of the knitted panel made in accordance with this invention and by full lines the portion thereof that is formed initially and .provides tubular welts along thebottoms of the leg portions;

FIG. 2 is :a plan view yof the finished knitted panel as'it comes from the knitting machine;

FIG. 3 is a plan View of the knitted panel having a tubular welt formed along the top and ready to be seamed to a complementary panel to form the undergarment;

FIG. 4 is a view, in side elevation, of the panel shown in FIG.A 3 with the tubular welts at the upper and lower ends being illustrated in somewhat exaggerated manner in order to show the construction; and

FIG. 5 is a View, in side elevation, of the completed garment and showing its application to a female body.

Referring first -to FIG.. 2 of the drawings, it will be observed that the reference character 10 designates,y generally, a panty panel which has been completed by the knitting operation and before any further manufacturing steps have been performed on it. The panty panel 10 includes leg portions `11 and 12 which are commonly joined to a lower body portion 13 which merges into a slightly higher lower body portion 14. The intermediate body portion `15 is shown as being knit above the lower body portion 14 and is narrowed, as will be described hereinafter, to result in upper body portion 16 which continues for the same width through its extent.

FIG. 1 illustrates the initial steps involved in forming the panty panel 10. The knitting operation is begun simultaneously yalong the lower edges 21 and 22 of the leg portons 11 and v'12, It is accomplished by a knitting machine which is provided rwith three carriers and two y-arn guides for each leg portion. It will be understood that `the three carriers and two yarn guides for each leg portion 11- and 12 feed the yarn into the respective needles for these leg portions. In accordance with known practice a welt bar is inserted in the knitting machine and a number of courses are run beginning at the lower'edg'es 21 and 22 to form the insides 23 :and 24 of tubular welts 23u .and 24a along the lower edges of the' leg portions 11 and 12. The two yarns employed for forming the insides 23 and 24 include plain -material such `as natural yarn or synthetic yarn and yan elasticized yarn. The elasticized yarn can be omitted in those courses where its yaction is not required.

The knitting continues until courses 25 and 26 are formed in which the elasticized' yarn is omitted. Then `courses 27 and 28 are run each containing a picot stitch design. In order to knit lthe courses 27 :and 28 a picot bar is automatically actuated tov pick up every other stitch from its needle and move it over to the 4adjoining needle. This forms a picot or lace design for this particular course. Then the knitting operation is resumed to form simultaneously the outsides 29 and 30` of the welts 23a and 24a.

After a number of courses have been run to form the outsides 29 and 30 of the tubular welts 23a and 24a corresponding to the number of courses that are run to form the insides 23 and 24, a welt bar lis inserted between the sinkers and dividers and the needle bar is laid back into grooves which are provided in the design of the hooks in the welt bar. At this point the insides 23 and 24 and the outsides 29 andr30 are pulled down over the needle which is embedded in the groove `and thereby the fabric is freed from the hook and is now impaled on the needle along with the originally formed loops and then is cast olf on the next course to accomplish what is known as welt turning. Lower edges 21 and 22 are thereby secured at 31 and 32 to the upper edges of the outsides 29 and 30 of the welts 23a and 24a.

Then the knitting operation continues with the two yarns simultaneously for the leg portions 11 and 12 above the tubular welts 23a and 24a for a limited number of courses. Then courses 313 and 34 are knit containing the picot stitch design and thereafter the knitting continues with Iboth yarns to complete the leg' portions 11 and 12. When the top of the leg portions 11 and 12 is reached, as indicated at 35 in FIG. 2, the three carriers and two yarn guides, previously used to knit one of the leg portions 11 or 12, are lifted automatically out of action and the three carriers and two yarn guides, previously used for knittingl the other leg, are allowed to operate entirely across the knitting head to commonly knit the lower body portion 13 with the two yarns which may be of the same character as the yarns used for knitting the leg portions 11 and 12. For performing the knitting and narrowing operations described herein a knitting machine is used having four decking arms.

As the knitting operation continues and the lower body portion 14 is knit using the same yarns as used for the leg portions 11 and 12, it is desirable to reduce the width of the panel in order to conform to the shape of the female body. Accordingly, without changing any yarn, a narrowing machine goes into action and a predetermined number of narrowings, as indicated at 38, are formed a predetermined number of courses apart. The narrowing action continues throughout the intermediate body portion 15.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 the narrowing operation ceases and the knitting operation continues for the balance of the upper body portion 16. It will be observed that the narrowing action begins at the course 37 along the lower end of the intermediate portion 15 and continues to the course 39 where the narrowing ceases.

:The knitting operation continues to produce the lower part of the upper body portion 16 and a course 40 is knit containing the picot stitch design. The same yarns are employed for knitting the Iupper -body portion 16 that are employed for knitting the intermediate body portion 15.

-After the course 40 containing the picot stitch design is knit, the knitting continues for a number of courses and then there are several courses 41 knit where the elasticized yarn is omitted. Then the elasticized yarn is again used to form the outside 42 of the tubular welt 43, FIG. 4, that is provided along the upper end of the panel in a manner to be described presently. Along the upper edge of the outside 42 a course 44 is knit containing the picot stitch design and adjacent thereto a number of courses 45 are knit in which the elasticized yarn is omitted. Then the knitting operation continues employing the yarns including the elasticized yarn to form the inside 46 of the tubular welt 43. lI'he knitting operation continues until the upper edge 47 of the upper body portion 16 is formed. The knitting operation then is completed.

It is pointed out that the courses 27 and 28, containing the picot stitch design and the adjacent courses 25 and 26 where the elasticized yarn is omitted in the formation of the tubular welts 23a and 24a along the lower ends of the leg portions 11 and 12, are employed in order to facilitate the doubling of the insides 23 and 24 over the outsides 29 and 30 to form the tubular welts 23a and 24a without there being any bunching along the lowermost edges. It is for a similar reason that the course 44, containing the picot stitch design and the courses 45 where the elasticized yarn is omitted, are provided. If desired, the picot stitch design at 27, 28, 40 and 44 can be formed in each instance by two courses (over and back) from which the elasticized yarn is omitted, the elasticized yarn otherwise being used together with the non-elastic yarn.

rNext, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the inside 46 is doubled back over the outside 42 and the edge 47 is seemed, as indicated at 48, to the outside 42 along the courses 41 where the elasticized yarn is omitted and just above the course 40 containing the picot stitch design.

In FIG. 3 the completed panty panel is indicated, generally, at 49. It will be understood that selvages 50 and 51 are provided along the sides from top to bottom and that selvages 52 and 53 are provided along the inner sides of the leg portions 11 and 12.

The steps employed for knitting the panty panel and forming the completed panty panel 49 are employed for making different sizes of completed garments. Also different sizes of completed panels 49 are employed in order to be assembled into the completed garment. For example, as Shown in FIG. 5, the completed garment is formed by a front panty panel 54 and a back panty panel S5, the latter being complementary to the former and being slightly longer in order to aid the sitting posture. It will be understood that the front and back panels 54 and 55 are Seamed together along the selvages, for example the selvages 50, 51, 52 and 53, to form the completed garment. The outside seam joining the front and back panty panels 54 and 55 along one side is indicated at 56.

It has been pointed out that the panty panel 10 can be knit from various yarns. For example, various kinds of continuous filament yarn, either crimped or uncrimped, can be employed. The elasticized yarn that is used may `be either a natural or a synthetic rubber yarn and it may be covered by one or more textile threads. The yarn may be of the continuous lament type such as silk. Also thermoplastic synthetic fibers, such as rayon, nylon and Orlon, can be employed.

What is claimed as new is:

l. A method of knitting from yarn `a panty panel which comprises: simultaneously knitting la tubular Welt along the lower portion of each leg portion of the panel, from each tubular welt continuing the knitting to complete each leg portion simultaneously, continuing the knitting from said leg portions to form commonly therewith the lower body portion of the panel, continuing the knitting Vand narrowing the panel throughout its intermediate body portion, =and continuing the knitting for the upper -body portion of the panel.

2. A method of 4making from yarn a panty panel which comprises: simultaneously knitting a tubular welt along the lower portion of each leg portion of the panel, from each tubular welt continuing the knitting to complete each leg portion simultaneously, continuing the knitting from one of said leg portions to form commonly with both leg portions the lower body portion of the Panel, continuing the knitting and narrowing the panel throughouts its intermediate body portion, continuing the knitting `for the upper body portion of the panel, folding the uppermost part of the upper body portion over the adjacent portion, and seaming the edge of said part to said adjacent portion to provide a tubular welt along the upper edge ofthe panel.

3. A method of knitting from yarn a panty planel which comprises: simultaneously knitting a tubular welt along the lower portion of each leg portion of the panel having 1a picot design along the lower edge, from each tubular welt continuing the knitting to complete each leg portion simultaneously, continuing the knitting from one of said leg portions to form commonly with bot-h leg portions the (lower body portion of the panel, continuing the knitting and narrowing the panel throughout its intermediate body portion, and continuing the knitting for the upper body portion of the panel with a picot design along one course spaced from the upper edge.

4. A method of making from yarn a panty panel which comprises: simultaneously knitting a tubular welt along the lower portion of each leg portion of the panel having a picot `design -along the lower edge, from each tubular welt continuing the knitting to complete each leg portion simultaneously, ycontinuing the knitting from one of said leg portions to form commonly with both leg portions the lower body portion of the panel, continuing the knitting and narrowing the panel throughout its intermediate body portion, continuing the knitting for the upper body portion of the panel with a picot design along one course spaced from the upper edge, folding that part of the upper body portion above said one course over the part below, and seaming the edge of said part to said part therebelow to provide a tubular welt along the upper end ofthe panel.

5. A method of making from yarns, including lan elasticized yarn, a panty panel which comprises: simultaneously knitting a tubular welt 'along the lower portion of each .leg portion of the panel having a picot design along the `course forming the lower edge and having elastieized yarn omitted -from the courses adjacent one side of said picot design, from each tubular welt continuing the knitting to complete eaoh leg portion simultaneously, continuing the knitting from one of said leg portions to form commonly With both leg portions the lower body portion of the panel, continuing the knitting and narrowing the panel throughout its intermediate body portion, continuing the knitting for the upper -body portion of the panel with a picot design along one :course spaced `from the upper edge and said elasticized yarn omitted lfrom the courses adjacent one ysid-e of the last mentioned picot design, folding that part of the upper body portion above the last mentioned ,course over the part therebelow, and

seamin-g the edge of said part to said part therebelow to 15 provide a tubular welt along the upper end of the panel.

6. In the method of knitting a panty panel from two pairs of strands of yarn, one strand of each pair being elasticized, the steps which comprise: simultaneously knitting a tubular welt for each leg portion `from side to side from each pair of strands, continuing the knitting to form simultaneously continuously with each Welt each leg portion from side to side from the respective pairs of strands, and continuing the knitting fromy side to side to form :continuously with both leg portions the body 10 portion from one of sai-d pairs of strands.

Krammer Mar. 15, 1932 Monancy July 26, 1960 

1. A METHOD OF KNITTING FROM YARN A PANTY PANEL WHICH COMPRISES: SIMULTANEOUSLY KNITTING A TUBULAR WELT ALONG THE LOWER PORTION OF EACH LEG PORTION OF THE PANEL, FROM EACH TUBULAR WELT CONTINUING THE KNITTING TO COMPLETE EACH LEG PORTION SIMULTANEOUSLY, CONTINUING THE KNITTING FROM SAID LEG PORTIONS TO FORM COMMONLY THEREWITH THE LOWER BODY PORTION OF THE PANEL, CONTINUING THE KNITTING AND NARROWING THE PANEL THROUGHTOUT ITS INTERMEDIATE BODY PORTION, AND CONTINUING THE KNITTING FOR THE UPPER BODY PORTION OF THE PANEL. 